Brake for coffin-lowering apparatus



June 25, 1963 H. ABPLANALP, JR

BRAKE FOR coFFIN-LowERING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 4. 1960 INVENTOR HW W JT! W S. 'W-v June 25, 1963 H. ABPLANALP, JR

BRAKE FOR coFFIN-LowERmc APPARATus 2 Sheets-Sheet 2' Filed Nov. 4. 1960 3,095,066 BRAKE FR COFFIN-LOWERING APPARATUS Hans Abplanalp, Jr., Bnsswil, near Bueren, Canton of Bel-n, Switzerland Filed Nov. 4, 1960, Ser. No. 67,432 7 Clains. (Cl. 188-97) This invention relates to a coflin-lowering apparatus having an hydraulic braking device compn'sing a cylinder and piston for the lowering ropes running over guide rollers on a rectangular frame.

Mechanical brakes of the usual kind for coflin-lowering apparatus are, in comparison with hydraulic braking means, subject to wear and the effects of the Weather, so that the braking action is frequently unexpectedly irregular, which for reasons of piety should be avoided. Further, the manipulation of the brakes also cannot be carried out suficiently inconspcuously, as they always call for a subsequent regulation.

However, cofiin-lowering apparatus having hydraulic braking means as already proposed also reveal deficiencies, there being provided a comparatively long slim liquid cylinder longitudinally on the frame, as the extent of displacement of the piston must be made to be at least half of the extent of lowering when the piston is connected by means of a tracton element emerging from the cylinder in longitudinally shiftable fashion by way of guide members to the lowering ropes, whilst a correspondingly long by-pass furnished with an adjusta'ble blocking element connects the two cylinder spaces together, the coffin-lowering action in the manner known per se being capable of being braked in desired fashion according to the extent of the piston displacement permitted 'by throttling the circulation of liquid through this by-pass from one cylinder space to the other by means of the blocking element.

In practical use, however, there has been found to exist in such hydraulic braking devices the disadvantage, that the traction element, which is located near the ground and extends into the cylinder by way of a seal, readily becomes dirty, as it is subjected to the effects of the weather, and owing to its considerable free length is frequently bent or otherwise damaged. In this way the seal, which owing to the great extent of displacement of the traction element is already subjected to appreciable wear, rapidly becomes leaky, so that the device operates unreliably and finally becomes useless. Further, the cylinder and the traction element, owing to their length, and the guiding and transmission elements provided on the traction element prevent access to the grave on two to three sides thereof, which may interfere with the carrying out of the burial service and may even lead to accidents.

The present invention seeks to overcome these disadvantages by the fact, that of the two hydraulically cooperating parts, cylinder and piston, one of vthem is arranged to be shiftable along one narrow side of the frame and is rigidly connected to a threaded nut, which engages in non-rotatable fashion with a threaded spndle, on which are mounted rope-winding rollers for the lowering ropes. In this form of construction the parts of the braking device, which are moved backwards and forwards only over a short distance and comparatively very slowly may be accommodated in compact form on the narrow side of the frame and completely sealed off towards the outside in a low casing, from which there project only rotary shaft portions, which carry the winding rollers for the lowering ropes.

A form of embodirnent of the invention will now be described by Way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings.

3,0%,066 Patented `inne 25, 1963 FIG. 1 is a plan view on to the frame of the coflinlowering apparatus.

FIG. 2 is an axial Vertical section taken along line II-ll of FIG. 1 through the braking device of the apparatus with parts in front view.

PIG. 3 is a partially sectional front view of the apparatus drawn to a smaller scale.

The rectangular frame 1 of the coffin-lowering apparatus possesses on each -of its narrow sides a foot plate 2 or 2', which plates are connected together on the longitudinal sides of the frame by means of two 'horizontally disposed tubular members 3 and 3', the ends thereof each being detachably fitted in a socket 4 on the plates 2 and 2'. On these tu-bular members there are provided at two points disposed opposite to one another -in pairs in each case a rope-figuiding roller 6 or 6', which is capable of rocking by means of a sleeve 5 about the axis of the tubular member, over which rollers there run the lowering ropes 7 and 7' for the lowering of the cofin 8. On the foot plate 2 there is mounted a casing 9 having an hydraulic braking device, which possesses in a horizontally disposed cylinder 10 a double-acting piston means 1d. Through the cylinder 10 there passes coaxially a shaft 12', on the two ends of which projecting from the casing 9 there is mounted in each case a rope-winding roller 13 or 13', from which two of the lowering ropes 7 and 7' are unwound upon the lowering operation and upon which they are wound upon the lifting movement. The middle part of the shaft, |12' comprises a threaded spndle '14, formed, for example, With a three-Pitch trapezoidal thread and engaging the internal thread of a nonrotatable nut 15, which forms a part of the piston means 11. The piston possesses two ann'ular end plates, 16' traversed by the shaft 12', and respectively having sealing rings, 17' bearing against the irmer Wall of the cylinder '10 and a sealing ring 18 sealing off the passage of the shaft. These end plates are each rigidly connected to the threaded nut 15 by means of a screwed tubnlar distance member 19 or 19'. A key head 20 provided on the threaded nut engages in an axial groove 21 in the cylinder wall -10 in order to prevent the threaded nut from rotating together with the spndle 14. The cylinder 10 is closed at both ends by means of cylinder heads 22 and 22' and is secured thereby to the foot plate 2.

The hydraulic system of the brakng device, filled with a liquid, comprises the two cylinder spaces or pressure chambers 23 and 23', respectively located between the cylinder heads 22 and 22' and the oppositely disposed end plates or pistons 16 of the piston means 11, and pipes 25, 25' respectively compact these two spaces to an actuating valve 24. The valve 24 possesses a threeway cock 26 and is connected by way of two sockets 27 and 28 to the pipe .25, there being fitted in the socket 27 an exchangeable =throttle member 29. The third socket 30 is connected to the other pipe 25'. The cock 26 may be moved into three operative positions, viz., a stop position, |in which the pipe 25 is cut off from the pipe 25', -a throttling position, in which the pipe 25 is connected `by way of the socket 27 by means of the throttle member 29 to the pipe 25', and a return position, in which the pipe 25 is connected to the pipe 25' by way of the socket 28, xstops (not shown) being provided to preven-t a direct change over of the cock from the stop position into the return position.

In t-he position of readiness the ends of the Wire ropes 7 and 7', which in known fashion are furnished with chain links, are coupled together in pairs by means of hocks and are drawn taut with the ropes wound about Ithe rollers 13 and 13'. In |this condition the piston 11 in FIG. 2 is shifted fully towards the right. The cock 26 of the valve 24 is located in the stop position.

If the coffin 8 is applied to the chains, the pull of the ropes exerts by way of the rollers -a torque of such a nature on the threaded spindle 14 that the latter seeks tgdisplacethe threaded nut :15 together with the piston Imeans 11 in FI'G. 2 towards the left, but with the bypass 25:, 25' blocked is unable to do so, there being created in the cylinder space 23 an hydraulicpressure, which in consequence of the closed actuating valve is maintained and prevents a displacement of' the piston, Vand according'ly a lowering of the cofiin. If'the cook 26 of 'the vactuating valve is moved into the throttling positiom liquid under pressure passes in accordance with the throttle opening in the throttled pipe from the cylinder space 23 by way of the pipe 25 through the throttljng-member 2'9 into the pipe 25' and the cylinder space 23", the piston means `11 moving slowly towards the left and accordingly permitting of corresponding rotation of the threaded spindle and the rope rollers, so that the coffin, braked 'by the hydraulic throttling action, is lowered.

'Ihe hooked coupling of the rope ends is released automatically inV known fashion, when resting loosely on the bottom of the grave. To wind up the ropes the Cook 26 is moved into thereturn position, and the spindle shaft isturned back by means of a hand crank, which is capable o f being fitted over -the end 31 of the shaft, provided in square form, in order to wind'up the ropes, the threaded nut together with the piston being moved from the Eleft to the right and thereby conveying liquid from the cylinder space 23' through the pipe 25', the socket 30, the cock 26, the socket 28' and the pipe 25 to the cylinder space 23.

The hydraulic medium preferably consists of oil, the viscosity and specific volume of which vary only very little at 'the temperatures occurring and which possesses good lubricating properties. The cylinder spaces 32 and 32' between |the piston end walls, 16' and the nut 15,

`respectively, are also filled with this liquid, in order not only to ensure a good lubrication for spindle and nut,` but also to effect replacement of losses by leakage in the. hydraulic system. On |the upper side of the cylinder there is provided a re-filling socket 33, which is ;capable of being closed off towardsthe outside and which is secured on the cylinder by means of a flange 34 fitfingin sealing fashion over the guide groove 21. Socket 33 is furnished with a |l-iquid-level indicator 33', on which there may be read the quantity of liquid available .in the socket. The tubular distance pieces 19 and 19" are formed with a few openings 35 for passage of the liquid.

For wind i1:1', f,V up the lowering ropes there might be providedt on the shaft 12V at least one spiral spring, one end of which is secured to the periphery of the shaft and the other end of which is secured to the cylinder wall 10', in whichconnection for the passage through the tubular distance member there mustbe provided an axial slot therein. This spiral spring would be tensioned by Vrotation of the shaft upon an unwinding of the lowering -ropes and after a change over of the actuating valve into the return position would 'cause an oppositely directedrotation for the purpose of winding up the ropes. FIG. 2 shows the manner, in which the spiral spring 36 may be arranged on the outside on one cylinder head 22'.

On at least one of the two foot place-s 2 or V2' there are provided two levelling feet 37, adjustable in height, which, feet by means of a tubular portion furnished With external thread 38 -are each screwed into a threaded opening` in the foot plate and are furnished at the upper end for-example with a square head 39 or poly'gonal opening in ordertobecapable of being rotated by meansof a spanner |and thus adapted 'in height for allowing to place the frame 1V in a horizontal position.

VW'hat I claim is:

1. A braking appar-atus, comprising, in combination,

an elongated cylinder having a pair of end walls closing opposite ends of said cylinder; elongated shaft means extending along the xaxis of said cylinder 'and having opposite end portions extending through said end walls in sealing engagement therewith 'and being mounted in said end walls for rotation about said axis, said shaft means having intermediate said opposite end portions a screw portion located in said cylinder; a nut mounted in said cylinder `coaxial therewith movable in longitudinal direction thereof while being prevented from turning about said axis, said nut being located 'about and in engagement with said screw portion of said shaft means to be moved in longitudinal direct-ion during rotation of said shaft means; Ia 'pair of pistons located in said cylinder about and coaxial with said shaft means spaced from and respectively on opposite sides of said screw portion of said shaft means, said pistons being in sealing engagement with said shaft means and the inner surface of said cylinder, said pistons-defi'ningV between faces thereof directed towards each other a reservoir and between the other faces-thereof andA said end walls a pair of pressure chambers, said -reservoir -and said pressure chambers being adapted to be filled with pressure fluid; spacer means located between said pistons and said nut and fixed at opposite ends thereto .for keeping said pistons at fixed distances from said nut; conduittmeansrfor connecting said pressure chambers with each other; means attached to at least one end portion of said shaft means for applying a torque thereto tending to rotate said shaft means and to displacetthereby said nut and said pistonsV attached thereto, in -axial direction soasto force pressure fluid throughV said `conduit means from one to the other of said pressure chambers; and valve means operatively'connected to said conduit means 'for opening and closing the latter so that when saidvalve means is closed said shaft means cannot be rotated if a torque is applied thereto and so that when said valve means isV opened rotation-al movement of said shaft means will be braked.

2. An arrangementas defined in claim 1 in which said reservoir and said pressure chambers are filled with a hydraulic pressure fluid having `-lubrioating properties so that saidpressure fluid serves at the same time to lubricate the movable parts of the arrangement.

3. A braking apparatus, comprising, in combination, `an elongated' cylinder having a pair of end wallsclosing opposite ends'of said cylinder; elongated shaft means extending along the -axis of said. cylinder and having opposite end portions extending through said end walls in seal-ing engagement therewith: and being |mounted in said endfwalls for rotation about said axis, said shaftV means having intermediate said 'opposite end portions a screw portion located in said cylinder; a vnutmounted in said cylinder coaxial therewith movable in longitudinal direction thereof while being prevented from turning about said axis, saidV nut Vbeing located about and in engagement with said screw portion of said shaft` means to be moved in longitudinal direction during rotation of said shaft means; a pair of pistons-located in'said cylinder about and 'coaxial with'said shaft means spaced'f'rom and respectively on opposite sides of said screw portion of said shaft means, said pistons beingin sealing engagement with said shaft means and the inner surface of 'said cylinder, said pistons :defining between faces thereof directed towards each otherla reservoir and-between the other faces thereof and said end walls a pair of pressure-chambers, said reservoir and said pressure chambersbeing adapted to be filled with pressure fluid;` a pairof spacer sleeves extending between said nut and saidpistons, respectively, and being fixed at opposite ends to said nut and the respective piston, said sleevesl'being each formed with at least one opening therethroughtto provide access oftpressure fluid into the interior of said sleeves; conduit means for connect-ing said pressure chambers with each other; means attached to at least one end portion of said shaft means for applying a torque thereto tendingto rotate said shaft means and to displace thereby said nut and said pistons attached thereto in axial direction so as to force pressure fluid through said conduit means from one .to the other of said pressure chambers; and valve means operatively connected to said conduit means for opening and closing the latter so that when said valve means is closed said shaft means cannot be rotated if a torque is 'applied thereto and so that when said valve means is opened rotational movement of said shaft means will be braked.

4. A braking -apparatus, comprising, in combination, an elongated cylinder havin-g a pair of end walls closing opposite ends of said cylinder; elongated shaft means extending yalong 'the axis of said cylinder and having opposite end portions extending through said end walls in sealing engagement therewith 'and being mounted in said end walls for rotation about said axis, said shaft means having intermediate said opposite end portions ya screw portion located in said cylinder; a nut mounted in said cylinder coaxial therewith movable in longitudinal direction thereof while being prevented from turning about said axis, said nut being located about and in engagement with said screw portion of said shaft means to be moved in longitudinal direction during rotation of said shaft means; a pair of pistons located in said cylinder about and coaxial With said shaft means spaced from and respectively on opposite sides of said screw portion of said shaft means, said pistons being in sealing engagement with said shaft means |and the inner surface of said cylinder, said pistons defining between faces thereof drected towards each other a reservoir and between the other faces thereof and said end walls a pair of pressure chambers, said reservoir and said pressure chambers being adapted to be filled 'With pressure fluid; spacer means located between said pistons and said nut and fixed at opposite ends thereto for keeping said pistons at fixed distances from said nut; conduit means for connecting said pressure chambers with each other; a -fillng socket projecting upwardly from said cylinder and communicating with the interior thereof, said socket 'being adapted to contain a supply of pressure fluid to replace any pressure fluid lost by leakage yfrom said cylinder; means for closing the upper end of said socket; means attached to at least one end portion of said shaft means for applying a torque thereto tending to rotate said shaft means 'and to displace thereby said nut and said pistons attached thereto in axial direction so as -to force pressure fluid through said conduit means from one to the other of said pressure chambers; and valve means operatively connected to said conduit means for opening 'and closing the latter so that when said v-alve means is closed said shaft means cannot be rotated if a torque is applied thereto and so that when said valve means is opened rotational movement of said shaft mear''l Will be braked.

5. A 'braking apparatus, comprising, in combination, an elongated cylinder having a pair of end walls closing opposite ends of said cylinder; elongated shaft means extending along the axis of said cylinder and having opposite end portions extending through said end Walls in sealing engagement therewith and being mounted in said end walls for rotation about said axis, said shaft means having intermediate said opposite end portions a screw portion located in said cylinder; a nut mounted in said cylinder coaxial therewith movable in longitudinal direction thereof while being prevented from turning about said axis, said nut being located about and in engagement with said screw portion of said shaft means to be moved in longitudinal direction during rotation of said shaft means; a pair of pistons located in said cylinder about and coaxial with said shaft means spaced from an'd respectively on opposite sides of said screw portion of said shaft means, said pistons being in sealing engag ment with said shaft means and the inner surface of said cylinder, said pistons defining between faces thereof directed towands each other a reservoir and between the other fares thereof and said end walls a pair of pressure chambers, said reservoir and said pressure chambers being adapted to be filled with pressure fluid; spacer means located between said pistons and said nu-t and fixed at opposite ends thereto for keeping said pistons at fixed distances from said nut; first conduit means for connecting said pressure chambers with each other; bypass conduit means connecting said pressure chambers With each other and including a throttlingimember for throttling flow of pressure fluid through said by-pass conduit means; means attached to at least one end portion of said shaft means for 'applying a torque thereto vtendin'g to rotate said shaft means and to displace thereby said nut and said pistons attached thereto in axial direction so 'as to force pressure fluid through said conduit means from one to the other of said pressure chambers; and valve means operatively connected to said first conduit means and said by-pass conduit means for selectively closing both conduit means and lfor selectively opening one of said conduit means while keepin-g the other closed so that when both of said conduit means are closed said shaft means cannot be rotated if a torque is applied thereto and so that when said by-pass conduit means is opened rotational movement of said shaft will be braked to a greater extent than When said first conduit means is opened.

6. A -braking apparatus comprising, in combination, a stationary elongated cylinder having a pair of end walls closing opposite ends of said cylinder; elongated shaft means extending along the axis of said cylinder and having opposite end portions eXtendin-g through said end Walls in sealing engagement therewith and being mounted in said end walls for rotation about said aXis, said shaft means having intermediate said opposite end portions a screw portion located in said cylinder; piston means mounted in said cylinder coaxial therewith and movable in longitudinal direction thereof while being prevented from turning about said axis, said piston means having a Ithreaded portion coaxial and in operative engagement With said screw portion of ysaid shaft means so that said piston means will be moved in longitudina'l direction during rotation of said shaft means, said piston means being in sealing engagement 'with the inner surface of said vcylinder so as to define 'in said cylinder a pair of pressure chambers on opposite sides of said piston means -adapted to be filled With pressure fluid; conduit means for connecting said pressure chambers with each other; means lattached to at least one end portion of said shaft means for applying a torque thereto tending to rotate said shaft means 'and =to displace thereby said piston means in axial direction so as to force pressure fluid through said conduit means from one to the other of said pressure chambers; and valve means operatively connected to said conduit means for opening 'and closing the latter so that when said conduit means is closed said shaft means cannot be rotated if a torque is applied thereto and so that when said conduit means is opened rotational movement of said shaft means will be 'braked.

7. A braking apparatus comprising, in combination, la stationary elongated cylinder having a pair of end walls closing opposite ends of said cylinder; elongated shaft means extending |along :the :axis of said cylinder and having opposite end portions extending through said end Walls in sealing engagement therewith and being mounted in said end walls for rotation about said axis, said shaft means having intermediate said opposite end portions a screw portion located in said cylinder; piston means mounted in said cylinder coaxial :therewith and movable in longitudinal direction thereof while being prevented from turning about said axis, said piston means having :a threaded portion coaXial and in operative engagement with said screw portion of 'said shaft means so that said piston means Will be moved in longitudinal direction during rotation of said shaft means, said piston means being in sealing engagement with the inner surface of said cylinder so as to define in said cylinder a pair of pressure chambers on opposite sides of said piston means adapted ;to be filled With pressure fiuid; first condui-t means for connecting said pressure ehambers with each other; by-pass conduit means connecting said pressure chambers with each other and including a throttlingl member for throttling flow of pressure fiuid through said by-pass conduit means; means attached' to at 'least one end portion of said shaft means for applying a torquel said conduit means' while keeping. the other closed so thatV when both of said conduit means are closed said shaft means cannot be rota'ted if a torque is applied thereto and so' that when said by-pass conduit means is opened rotational movement of. said shaft will be -braked to a 20 opened;

References Cited inv the file of this patent 529,456 l630,459 679,421 755,833 1,0(Y4,431O

UNITED STATES PATENTS Scherer Oct. 17, Martin Nov. 20, Kirmey Aug; 8, Halsey July 30, Appelman Mar; 29, Hoslett'et' al. Sept. 26; Thomas Nov. 21, Bauer Ian; 11, Libani .Dec. 17, Lisle. Mar. 24, Kemeny Nov. 9, Tessin Mar; 1.4,V

FOREIGN PATENTS Switzerland Oct. 1, 

1. A BRAKING APPARATUS, COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, AN ELONGATED CYLINDER HAVING A PAIR OF END WALLS CLOSING OPPOSITE ENDS OF SAID CYLINDER; ELONGATED SHAFT MEANS EXTENDING ALONG THE AXIS OF SAID CYLINDER AND HAVING OPPOSITE END PORTIONS EXTENDING THROUGH SAID END WALLS IN SEALING ENGAGEMENT THEREWITH AND BEING MOUNTED IN SAID END WALLS FOR ROTATION ABOUT SAID AXIS, SAID SHAFT MEANS HAVING INTERMEDIATE SAID OPPOSITE END PORTIONS A SCREW PORTION LOCATED IN SAID CYLINDER; A NUT MOUNTED IN SAID CYLINDER COAXIAL THEREWITH MOVABLE IN LONGITUDINAL DIRECTION THEREOF WHILE BEING PREVENTED FROM TURNING ABOUT SAID AXIS, SAID NUT BEING LOCATED ABOUT AND IN ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID SCREW PORTION OF SAID SHAFT MEANS TO BE MOVED IN LONGITUDINAL DIRECTION DURING ROTATION OF SAID SHAFT MEANS; A PAIR OF PISTONS LOCATED IN SAID CYLINDER ABOUT AND COAXIAL WITH SAID SHAFT MEANS SPACED FROM AND RESPECTIVELY ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID SCREW PORTION OF SAID SHAFT MEANS, SAID PISTONS BEING IN SEALING ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID SHAFT MEANS AND THE INNER SURFACE OF SAID CYLINDER, SAID PISTONS DEFINING BETWEEN FACES THEREOF DIRECTED TOWARDS EACH OTHER A RESERVOIR AND BETWEEN THE OTHER FACES THEREOF AND SAID END WALLS A PAIR OF PRESSURE CHAMBERS, SAID RESERVOIR AND SAID PRESSURE CHAMBERS BEING ADAPTED TO BE FILLED WITH PRESSURE FLUID; SPACER MEANS LOCATED BETWEEN SAID PISTONS AND SAID NUT AND FIXED AT OPPOSITE ENDS THERETO FOR KEEPING SAID PISTONS AT FIXED DISTANCES FROM SAID NUT; CONDUIT MEANS FOR CONNECTING SAID PRESSURE CHAMBERS WITH EACH OTHER; MEANS ATTACHED TO AT LEAST ONE END PORTION OF SAID SHAFT MEANS FOR APPLYING A TORQUE THERETO TENDING TO ROTATE SAID SHAFT MEANS AND TO DISPLACE THEREBY SAID NUT AND SAID PISTONS ATTACHED THERETO IN AXIAL DIRECTION SO AS TO FORCE PRESSURE FLUID THROUGH SAID CONDUIT MEANS FROM ONE TO THE OTHER OF SAID PRESSURE CHAMBERS; AND VALVE MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID CONDUIT MEANS FOR OPENING AND CLOSING THE LATTER SO THAT WHEN SAID VALVE MEANS IS CLOSED SAID SHAFT MEANS CANNOT BE ROTATED IF A TORQUE IS APPLIED THERETO AND SO THAT WHEN SAID VALVE MEANS IS OPENED ROTATIONAL MOVEMENT OF SAID SHAFT MEANS WILL BE BRAKED. 